Sailor Moon The 90's Edition: Worst Sailor Moon Episodes

Hey everyone so today rather than a anime review, due to all my finals and not having seen any anime today, I decided to do a quick list instead. Now some background info, I'm a Sailor Moon fan to the max! I absolutely love Sailor Moon! I've been a fan since 1999 and since I was a 90's kid I did have prior knowledge to the show. It's one of the first shows that introduce me to anime. And to the magical girl genre. So I decided to write a review for all the seasons of the 90's Sailor Moon anime. That's right, all five seasons plus the movies and live action tv show and even the Crystal reboot. To start off my love of everything Sailor Moon, I'll first do a worst and best list of episodes from the 90's show. The show is over 200 episodes and even with some special episodes never release to the western world. Now I do love the 90's show, while I love the manga a bit more, the anime series still had great moments. However, without the nostalgic goggles, most people put on, I also know that there were bad moments to the series. Episodes that have some flaws that I couldn't overlook. Now it was actually difficult for me to find bad episodes throughout the five seasons so it shows that the series was pretty damn good. So let's get to the worst episode list and don't worry, there will be an best episode list as well. And remember SPOILERS AHEAD! 

10. "Venus: Minako's Nurse Mayhem" (Season 2)

• What's the Plot?: With nearly all of the Sailor Guardians bedridden due to a virus (created by Esmeraude to incapacitate them), Minako decides to play nursemaid to help them out...causing one disaster after another from her "good" intentions. -Now to be fair this episode was not all that bad. It had funny moments that I'm sure will get more than a chuckle or two. The premise is pretty simple. With everyone sick to some monster's virus, it's up to Sailor Venus to save the day. Pretty standard for a filler episode. You won't find any dealings with the main plot point, it's a simple monster of the day episode. So why is it on my list? Well to be honest I kinda don't like how Minako/Sailor Venus was portrayed in this episode. Now yes Minako can be ditzy like Usagi when she is in herself but as Sailor Venus, she was a total bad ass. Always figuring how to take down villains and even sacrifices her love life many times to the responsibilities of being a senshi. So to see her act super clumsy and stupidly silly was painful for me. Yes sure it's all for the comedy but come on! There was this one scene where Minako was trying to play a cassette (look it up on google if you're too young to know what a cassette is, I'm old so I know) so Minako was trying to play a cassette but apparently she doesn't know how to use a stereo cassette player, blasts loud music to poor Rei's ears and eventually destroys the cassette. Really? Is Minako that dumb that she can't use a cassette player?! Hello she's a big music lover, Minako knows more about the latest pop music than anyone, you really think she wouldn't be able to know how to use a music player? This makes her look like such an airhead! Poor Minako, she's more than the stereotyped blonde! Also the monster's design wasn't that memorable and urgh, Chibi-Usa helping as Minako's helper wasn't fun either. So yah, the comedy in this episode is good but too much unnecessary reasons to make Minako look silly.

9. "Juban Holiday: The Carefree Princess" (Season 4)

• What's the Plot?: In an homage of the classic film Roman Holiday, Chibi-Usa and Usagi meet a runaway princess. They go to the summer festival together, but the princess is chased by her government and targeted by Hawk's Eye.- Ok so this episode was boring. That's the main reason it's on this list. It's a filler so nothing is dealing with the main plot of the season 4 series. The monster is hilariously stupid! No, seriously check on this "creative design" Elephanko the Crapo! Also the damn monster was so easy to defeat, I don't think she even attack that much, such a throw away lazy design. Then we have this princess from the land of "doesn't exist, don't bother looking for it, it's just made up 'cuz she has to be a princess of someplace right?" And like the plot summary says, it's basically Roman Holiday just no romance involve and a cliche speech given by Tuxedo Kamen on how this princess should have the responsibilities of a true princess, it's her destiny (NO EXCEPTIONS THAT'S FOR ME!) It's filler episodes like this that I really hate. Sure filler episodes can be a pain in the ass but a lot of them do at least build character development and relationships. Will you see that here in this episode? NO! it's all princess responsibility fluff with a horrible crappy monster. The elephant look more menacing to me! Easy episode to skip. You'll get nothing out of it. Next.

8. "Let's Become a Princess: Usagi's Bizarre Training" (Season 1)

• What's the Plot?: Usagi daydreams of her past and enrolls in a special seminar to become more like a princess. Kunzite and the evil Endymion argue about which is more important: obtaining the Silver Crystal or killing Sailor Moon.- Now this episode is so unnecessary to the point of why it was made? Ok so Usagi and the gang wants to enroll in this princess seminar where a disguised monster is trying to lure girls to act like princesses....ok why would there be a seminar like that? Also, where is this seminar coming from? A private school? All so far it's being provided by a countess (monster in disguise). Ok, why are there so many countesses and princesses coming to Japan? usually they come from a far off unreal country. And even they did come from Europe, are there even living countesses or nobility in this day and age anymore? Anyways, going back on track, so this episode provides another stupid monster design. Apparently, she's supposed to be this seashell mermaidish creature but she uses wax for her attacks......ooook.....and here's what she looks like: The Awkward Little Mermaid lol dear lord what a design. This is one of the episodes where Mamoru is evil yet still wants to be somewhat good? He and Kunzite are constantly bickering and god its weird. It's like seeing a buddy cop movie but their the bad guys so it's completely awkward. Nothing to report for the main storyline, it truly is a pointless filler. However, the scene with Usagi trying to offer the monster a cup of tea, the correct way, and getting shunned by it was pretty damn funny.

7. "Usagi's Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil?" (Season 1)

• What's the Plot?: Minako takes a depressed Usagi to the hairdresser to cheer her up. There they are attacked by a youma who is convinced that Minako is Sailor Moon. Tuxedo Mask appears, alive and whole, but addresses himself as Endymion, seems to be fighting for the other side. -So this is the official episode where Mamoru is turned evil and starts fighting Sailor Moon. Now in the manga, Mamoru does not show his prince Endymion form until much later. He brainwashes Motoki and seemingly kills Motoki's friend. This murder doesn't happen in the anime. In the manga, Mamoru is so brainwash that he does evil things. In the anime it's like he still has this desire not to be too mean and cruel, keeping innocents out of danger and because of that he get's into fights with Kunzite, like I said before, this spats between guys are so weird, it's like seeing frienemies giving each other a bad time. Then we have the monster and yah, it's weird. Basically the hair salon lady and crew morph together into this giant muscle monster, super odd, and naturally, since the battle takes place in a hair salon, this demon had silly hair product attacks. Also the youma had braids like Pippi Longstocking, just so you know: Little House in the Dark Kingdom Now to be fair, this episode did have that drama reveal when Usagi sees that Mamoru is working for the dark kingdom now, but to be honest, I really like how the manga did this reveal more. Not an amazing episode but everyone leaves with glorious shampoo silky hair.

6. "Artemis Is Cheating? Enter the Mysterious Kitten" (Season 4)

• What's the Plot?: Luna grows jealous of Artemis' alleged love with a nun, though Artemis says it's a misunderstanding. Not long after, a gray kitten with a crescent moon mark on her forehead appears. She proclaims that she is Artemis' daughter, much to Luna's disgust. Meanwhile, the nun is targeted by Tiger's Eye. After a brutal battle, it is revealed that the gray kitten is Diana, Luna and Artemis' daughter from the future Crystal Tokyo and Chibi-Usa's guardian cat as well as Artemis was actually into the chapel the nun lived in, thinking about marrying there. -Oh god, now we get to the stupid part of the list. Apparently, Artemis wants to bang human girls or at least that's what Luna thinks. So this is when Diana shows up however in the manga, she shows up in the second act (season) and apparently Luna thinks Artemis had a "cat-affair" and had an illegitimate child. Or did she really think that Artemis and this human girl had a gray kitten together? Dear lord we're hitting bestiality right now! Also since Diana came earlier in the manga, Luna already knew that the gray kitty was her child. Also Luna you had a major crush on a scientist in the Sailor Moon S movie. So she's being a hypocrite! And speaking of already knowing Diana's existence, the dub version brought more stupidity. When Diana is reveal, she greets Chibi-usa and Chibi-usa greets her by name. However just seconds later, Chibi Usa makes this statement: "I'm going to have my very own kitty cat when I'm a moon princess!!!" Ummmmm you JUST acknowledge Diana a few seconds again, indicating you already knew Diana was your cat you pink moron! How would you have know the cat's name is Diana? God this episode is pointless and is a horrible way to introduce Diana, which she should have been introduced in season 2! For Shame! What about the monster? Urgh, CLOWN IN A KANGEROO SUIT. need I say more? If there was one saving scene from this episode, we got to see Minako's awesome room.

5. "The Terrifying Illusion: Ami All Alone" (Season 2)

• What's the Plot?: Esmeraude's latest Droid targets Sailor Mercury, using her feelings of doubt to try to make her turn against her friends -So while the other episodes were either pointless or stupid, this episode was confusing. Holy hell the plan Esmeraude and her demon had was weird. Ok so the monster plans to make the entire school hate Ami. And that's it. No, seriously that's the whole plan. The monster is going to use mind warp magic to make everyone hate Ami and to make Ami sad which will make her or the senshi vulnerable, I'm guessing...? Urgh this is so confusing! Apparently, it was to make the senshi go against each other and Ami was the target cause she's the shyest and weakest senshi I'm guessing? I could only guess because I don't know why Ami was chosen specifically. It would have made more sense to make the entire school or town go against all the senshi instead of just one. Very odd. Also why would anyone have any jealousy or malice towards Ami? She's nice and gets good grades, not even rubbing her grades to anyone. Would the school really be that envious of Ami? It's just odd. The monster's design had no connection to her power. She was an insect-looking creature and has the power to create warp mind illusions. And the power comes from her antennas...ok...odd. That's the word for this episode. The episode was again, pointless, but the odd confusing plot points makes such an episode pretty frustrating, so I put it pretty high on the list. The unnecessary Ami hate was uncomfortable.

4. "Protect the Pure Heart: The Three-Way Battle" (Season 3)

• What's the Plot?: Usagi's friend, Unazuki, is attacked by a Daimon and has her pure heart crystal stolen. After the crystal is dropped, Sailor Moon must race to find it and save Unazuki. -Ok so the whole discussion about first kisses was very nice. I really like how Michuru was talking about the different kisses in history, also stating that Adam and Eve were the first kissers. Pretty religious stuff Michuru was talking about but also pretty deep. The dubbing of this episode was bad though, cuz they replace all of Michuru's Adam and eve talk with a stupid memory of her being with a guy named "Brad". Yah still pretending Michuru is straight and this was not taking place in Tokyo huh Cloverway? Ridiculous. Now the story itself is pretty good, (for a standard filler episode) a daimon monster steal Unazuki's pure heart and Usagi with crew needed to get it back aaand we see the beginning on how much Toei animation made Uranus and Neptune assholes. Ok so they are looking for the talismans, (in the manga, they already possess them, they were looking for something else completely) and the talismans would appear from someone's pure heart. So naturally this makes Neptune and Uranus go bounty hunter on people, looking for the talismans, and it's this episode that shows they don't give a damn on who they killed. Our heroes everyone? They fight Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and Neptune gets the upper hand by getting the heart crystal but comments that it's just a normal crystal, not a talisman. The two then make daring threats to Sailor Moon and run off. Yeah, there's a word for people who act that: BULLIES. God, from here on, Uranus and Neptune get worse and that's really sad because, in the manga, they were cool and had a good reason to be distant to Sailor Moon, not assholes but just distant. How about the monster? Walking Talking Vacuum Cleaner in the shape of an Elephant. And god I wish I was making that up. There's even a scene of the monster using a vacuum to track down the crystal. Despite it not being a satisfying episode there was a best scene. Unazuki just had her crystal stolen, becomes a love desperate zombie and tries to make out with Mako-chan. Oh my god, best SM moment ever!!!

3. "A New Life: Parting of the Stars of Destiny" (Season 3)

• What's the Plot?: Haruka and Michiru give the newly reborn infant Hotaru to a still-healing Professor Souichi Tomoe, who is finally free of the Death Busters. However, they viciously attack Sailor Moon, for she protected Hotaru's body and Sailor Saturn, and risked the whole entire world for one mere life. The Silver Crystal throws them back, and they kneel to her as their leader and leave the city. - It's official, Uranus and Neptune are total buttholes. Toei Animation made it very clear in this episode. So Usagi manages to save the world, save Hotaru without killing her, defeat the enemy and how do Uranus and Neptune react? By trying to beat the shit out of her! Urgggggh. Ok so the main reason is that they wanted to find out that whether Usagi is the messiah or not and urrrrrggggh this makes no sense! Ok one by saving the world, that should have solidified any question on whether Usagi was the legendary messiah. She used her powers to bring light to the enemy and have Hotaru reborn! So dammit Uranus and Neptune! What other proof do you need? I'm sorry but in the manga Uranus and Neptune had already accepted Usagi as their princess and savior, they just didn't want her to get involve because as a princess she should be protected. The anime makes it very clear, that they don't want her involve because they think their better than her and they know how to save the world so when she was able to save the world without their help, they just basically threw a hissy fit and attack. But don't worry it was all part of their "test". Pure bullshit. This makes them so childish and regresses them to school yard bullies who act like their better and tough but when outshine they can't stand the humiliation of being "all talk but no walk." It's pretty sad cause as I mention before, the manga painted them in a completely different light where you could understand and respect them. They were loyal to Usagi and had the courage to admit that they do needed the inner senshi's help and it's not easy fighting alone. But sadly Toei is not done with butchering these characters. The episode is an ending episode for season three, so you do kinda have to see it in order to know what happens afterward, but when it comes to the fight scene between Uranus, Neptune, and Moon, just fast forward. 

2. "Dreams Forever: Fill the Heavens with Light/"Moon Power of Love: End of the Nightmare" (Seasons 4&5)

• What's the Plot?:  When Sailor Moon gets to Nehelenia on the floating platform, she sees that Queen Nehelenia's aged appearance as a result of Chibi-Usa's use of the Golden Crystal. Nehelenia explains that she was once queen of an asteroid and she was worshiped for her beauty by her people until she asked her dream mirror if she would stay beautiful forever. But upon seeing the ugly, old woman she would become, Nehelenia consumed her servants' Dream Mirrors. With Sailor Moon pities her, an infuriated Nehelenia throws Chibi-Usa over the edge of the platform. Sailor Moon dives after her and transforms into Princess Serenity; she catches up to Chibi-Usa, awakens her, and together they use the Golden Crystal to land safely on Earth. At that time, Nehelenia reseals herself back into the mirror to regain her beauty as it flies off./When the nine Sailor Soldiers' energy and power help Usagi transform into Eternal Sailor Moon, Nehelenia reveals that she experienced a lonely childhood, but that the mirror kept her company. Usagi's pity breaks the curse over Mamoru. Chibiusa returns, all of the other Sailor Soldiers are freed, and Eternal Sailor Moon's power returns Nehelenia to her childhood. - So this is what happens with the animation studio stops listening to the original mangaka and starts making up shit for the sake of getting episodes on air faster and ratings higher. However since season 4 was already dead in the water, the animators decided "fuck it, let's try to salvage the 4th season by tieing it with the 5th season" basically shooting themselves twice in the foot. Ok so first off, no asteroid senshi. Yah you know Palla Palla, Ves-Ves, Cere-Cere and Jun-Jun, those four girls who were about staying kids forever, well original in the manga, they find out they were senshi who were hypnotized by Nehelenia but in reality, their true leader was Chibi-Usa, aka Sailor ChibiMoon. So Chibi-Usa gets her own team in the future. Well, that doesn't happen! the girls only become normal at the end of season 4 and that's it. We never see them again. Ok let's talk about the main elephant in the room, Nehelenia having a sympathic backstory and having her return to childhood...urgh. Ok now in the original manga, Nehelenia was very evil. She was one of the few main villains who had a solid form. While she was vain, her main reasons for her evil ways was to take the golden crystal and silver crystal to gain more power, however, when Queen Serenity beat her ass years ago, she now had another motive and that was REVENGE!! There was a big showdown between the senshi and Nehelenia and the powers of the Moon Family crystals kills the evil woman. That's it, nothing more, she didn't deserve a sad backstory why? because in the 5th arch/season, there was more explanation about Nehelenia and the rest of the main baddies in previous seasons. She was part of a bigger picture so by making her a sad little girl who just wanted a friend, this destroys what season 5 had in stored. WHEW!! And to be honest the whole little girl element feels like a total cop-out. Like the animators really had no idea of what to make the outcome, so let's throw in some sad origin bullsh*t. Both episodes irritated me because it was a step over between seasons and the story was still bullsh*t so the beginning of season 5 started on the wrong foot and it kept tumbling down till we got to ......

1. "Ruler of the Galaxy: the Menace of Galaxia"/"Dying Stars: The End Of Uranus and Neptune" (Season 5) 

• What's the Plot: The Senshi retreat to Galaxy TV, where Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn head off to fight Galaxia. Sailor Saturn also learns Galaxia the one responsible for releasing Nehelenia, in order to force her awakening. Their efforts prove futile, and Galaxia simply offers them a deal to side with her and live without their Star Seeds. Pluto and Saturn oppose, but Uranus and Neptune accept Galaxia's bracelets. To prove their loyalty to her, they kill Pluto and Saturn and obtain their Star Seeds. /Eternal Sailor Moon and the Starlights must face off their own teammates in a battle for their lives. When Galaxia commands the two to take their Star Seeds, they turn on to Galaxia and attack her instead, thinking once that her Star Seed is removed, she'll be killed. But Galaxia has no Star Seed, and since Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune betrayed her, she removes their bracelets and leaves them to die. After the Starlights encourage Eternal Sailor Moon to keep fighting, Galaxia reveals a shocking revelation. She is in fact the legendary Sailor Soldier who sealed Chaos into her own body, Sailor Galaxia. - Yah this is what seal Uranus and Neptune douchebag title for me. Before all you bleeding hearts start screaming, "BUT THEIR DEATHS WERE SO SAD! THEY DIED HOLDING EACH OTHER'S HAND! IT WAS SO MOVING I CRY DURING THAT SCENE!" Let's make a good analysis of this scene and what lead up to it, shall we? It's the final battle with Galaxia, and apparently, Neptune and Uranus decide they are on Galaxia's side, so they kill their own comrades Saturn and Pluto. Then with the same bracelets that Galaxia GAVE them, they tried to kill Galaxia, but guess what?! the attack doesn't  work cuz the golden girl already had a secret so the bracelets don't work on her so Neptune and Uranus get killed. So they kill Pluto and Saturn, Uranus violently slaps Usagi, saying what a weak princess she is and the so-called gamble they made didn't pan out. SOOOO nothing was accomplished. Rather than I don't know, remain helpful to Sailor Moon, believe in their princess and kept fighting Galaxia, these two attention seeking stuck up glory hogs decided to jeopardize the mission and Usagi's life because they convinced themselves that they can destroy Galaxia by themselves and cause they think they're oh so smart..... after seeing this scene my jaw dropped, not because of the so-called sad "Neptune and Uranus death scene" but because I couldn't believe what total stupid bitches they were. And what if destroying Galaxia didn't bring the dead senshi back from the grave? Then what? Were Neptune and Uranus were just gonna forget that they killed Saturn and Pluto and figure "Oh well mission accomplish let's go make out." This not only makes them look like bitches but cold-hearted bitches who never gave two shit about their teammates. I'm sorry but how does this make them heroes? I don't know how Naoko Takeuchi reacted to the drastic change on these two but it must have been difficult. Like I said before, in the manga while Neptune and Uranus would look stand offish, they still had deep respect for their princess and great concern and love for their teammates.I don't understand why Toei made them out to be such jerks. It's like they figure, "well someone on the team has to be the treacherous jerk so let's choose the lesbians!" The ending to season 5 was even worst with Chibi Chibi turning into some sword and some bullshit about the power of the starseeds, it's so dumb. The original manga had an amazing explanation of the villains, and I mean all the villains Sailor Moon had ever fought. There's so many crazy jaw dropping fight scenes and sad moments when Sailor Moon had to wonder whether all her work had been for nothing and when she's given the chance to simply start over again (aka be reborn) so she won't have all the sad memories, she chooses her old life because she reminds the reader that with the sad memories, there's also always the happy memories and to never give up hope. Annnd none of that was in the 5th season ending. I can't stand these two episodes because rather than animate some amazing revelations about the senshi and the meaning of what is a hero, they went with the "backstabbers oh no twist" cliche and that didn't even work. How pointless. 

So that's my list of worst Sailor Moon episodes and to be honest, I'm surprised I could even find ten because like I said, despite the fillers, the 90's anime was still pretty damn good. If I made any Moon fan angry just remember this is my opinion. If you happen to like these episodes, good for you. You saw something that I couldn't see. So as promised, the next list will be The Best 90's Sailor Moon Episodes. See you soon!